Military Leave Policy

Rasmussen University supports students who are service members, veterans, spouses, and family members.

A. Eligibility

• Students or admitted students who cannot attend the University due to Military Service, or have Military Service requirements that make it difficult or impossible for them to be successful in their academic programs, are eligible for a Military Leave.
• Military Service is defined as voluntary or involuntary service in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard (the “Armed Forces”), including service by a member of the National Guard or Reserve on Active Duty, Active Duty for training, or full-time National Guard duty under federal authority, for a period of more than 30 consecutive days under a call or order to Active Duty of more than 30 consecutive days.
• Active Duty means full-time duty in the active military service of the United States, including full-time training duty, annual training duty, and attendance, while in the active military service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary of the military department concerned. Active Duty does not include full time National Guard duty.

B. Military Leave Procedures

• Students must contact their Academic Advisor to request Military Leave in advance of the student’s military service. Rasmussen University reserves the right to request supporting documentation provided at the student’s earliest convenience, such as a copy of military orders, or, for students who have yet to receive orders, a memo from their commanding officer supporting the request for the Military Leave.
• Students are not required to request Military Leave if making such a request is precluded by military necessity, such as a mission, operation, exercise, or requirement that is classified; or a pending or ongoing mission, operation, exercise, or requirement that may be compromised or otherwise adversely affected by public knowledge.
• In addition, a student may be deemed to have requested Military Leave if, at the time the student requests readmission to the University, the student submits an attestation that the student performed Military Service that necessitated the student’s leave from the institution.
• The student cannot remain enrolled in the quarter/term that the leave begins.
• If the student is currently enrolled for the quarter/term in which their requested leave is to begin, it is the responsibility of the student to request military leave and drop/withdraw from their classes.
• Students receiving benefits under any of the GI Bill® education benefits will have their enrollment certifications terminated for duration of the Military Leave.

C. Financial Aid and Tuition/Books/Fees Impact of a Military Leave

• Students are treated as a withdrawal from the University for financial aid purposes.
• If the student received federal financial aid funding for the term of withdrawal, a calculation of the amount of aid earned for the term of withdrawal will be performed, along with a calculation of the student’s tuition obligation for the same period. As a result of these calculations, the student may have a tuition balance, have unearned federal aid funds that must be returned by the University or the student, or have a tuition refund due. These calculations and any applicable refund to the student or funding agency will be performed according to federal guidelines and institutional policy, and the student will be notified of the outcome. See the University Refund Policy.
• Students who return from a Military Leave will have their federal financial aid reinstated according to the student’s eligibility at the time of re-enrollment.
• Students with federal financial aid and federal loan obligations must contact their lenders; in addition, if receiving military tuition assistance must also contact the military financial aid specialist to ascertain their loan repayment status or repayment of tuition assistance during the Military Leave.
• Students who received federal student loans at any point during their enrollment at the University will receive further information regarding their loan obligations and repayment in an exit interview provided by the University within 30 days of the student’s withdrawal date.
• In the event the student discontinues their program, any supplies or textbooks issued to and paid for by the student become the property of the student. Electronic resources, access to which the student paid for as part of the Course Technology and Resource Fee, shall remain accessible to the student as long as the license provided by the publisher/ content owner allows. Licenses for electronic resources, which are utilized in most courses at Rasmussen University, are typically active for a length of 180 days to two years, dependent upon the publisher. The remaining amount of the prepaid tuition will be refunded on a prorated basis computed to the date of discontinuance.

D. Academic Impact of a Military Leave

• If the student takes Military Leave on or before the close of the drop period the course(s) will be dropped without being recorded on the student’s transcript and tuition will not be charged.
• A grade of “WL” will be recorded for each course for which a student was registered if the student takes Military Leave from the University at any time following the course drop period of the quarter. The student will need to repeat any course for which the WL grade was awarded.
• If a student completes any Term 1: 5.5-week course(s) but then has to take a Military Leave in Term 2, the letter grades they earned for the Term 1 courses will remain on their transcript.
• All academic probations, warnings, and dismissals remain applicable to students who take a Military Leave. If a student is already on probation or is placed on probation while on leave, the conditions of their probation are continued to the quarter in which they return to the University.
• The standard Rasmussen transfer of credit policies apply for courses taken elsewhere while on leave to any academic work done by the student while on Military Leave from the University.

E. Long Term Military Leave for More Than Two Quarters In Length

Students on a Military Leave that extends more than two academic quarters and their spouses may withdraw without penalty from any or all classes in which they are enrolled, even if the established deadline for withdrawal has passed. These students are entitled to a full refund of tuition and mandatory fees for the term, subject to applicable laws governing federal or state financial aid programs and allocation or refund as required under those programs.

F. Short Term Military Leave for Up to Two Quarters In Length

Military service members on Military Leave that is two or less academic quarters in length may withdraw without penalty from any or all classes in which they are enrolled, even if the established deadline for withdrawal has passed. Each leave may be for up to two consecutive quarters.

G. Time Limits on Military Leave

There is no limit to the total number of Military Leaves that a student may accumulate during their enrollment with the University. However, the student is not guaranteed readmission into their program under this policy if the cumulative length of all Military Leave exceeds five years. For the purpose of determining the cumulative length of Military Leave, the University does include Military Service:

• That is required, beyond five years, to complete an initial period of obligated service;
• During which the student was unable to obtain orders releasing the student from a period of service in the uniformed services before the expiration of the five-year period and such inability was through no fault of the student; or
• Performed by a member of the Armed Forces (including the National Guard and Reserves) who is ordered to or retained on Active Duty under:
• 10 U.S.C. 688 (involuntary active duty by a military retiree);
• 10 U.S.C. 12301(a) (involuntary active duty in wartime);
• 10 U.S.C. 12301(g) (retention on active duty while in captive status);
• 10 U.S.C. 12302 (involuntary active duty during a national emergency for up to 24 months);
• 10 U.S.C. 12304 (involuntary active duty for an operational mission for up to 270 days);
• 10 U.S.C. 12305 (involuntary retention on active duty of a critical person during time of crisis or other specific conditions);
• 14 U.S.C. 331 (involuntary active duty by retired Coast Guard officer);
• 14 U.S.C. 332 (voluntary active duty by retired Coast Guard officer);
• 14 U.S.C. 359 (involuntary active duty by retired Coast Guard enlisted member);
• 14 U.S.C. 360 (voluntary active duty by retired Coast Guard enlisted member);
• 14 U.S.C. 367 (involuntary retention of Coast Guard enlisted member on active duty); or
• 14 U.S.C. 712 (involuntary active duty by Coast Guard Reserve member for natural or man-made disasters); or
• Any provision of law because of a war or national emergency declared by the President or Congress, as determined by the Secretary concerned
• A determination by the Secretary concerned in support of an operational mission for which personnel have been ordered to active duty under section 12304 of title 10, United States Code
• A determination by the Secretary concerned in support of a critical mission or requirement of the Armed Forces (including the National Guard or Reserve); or
• Chapter 15 of title 10, United States Code, or section 12406 of title 10, United States Code (i.e., called to respond to an invasion, danger of invasion, rebellion, danger of rebellion, insurrection, or the inability of the President with regular forces to execute the laws of the United States).

H. Readmission Procedures

• Students on Military Leave must notify the University of their intent to return no later than three years after the completion of their Military Service. A student who is hospitalized or convalescing due to an illness or injury incurred or aggravated during the performance of their Military Service must notify the school of their intent to return within two years after the end of the period needed for recovery from the illness or injury.
• The student must contact their Academic Advisor at least one week prior to the first day of the quarter/term in which the student wants to return to complete the reentry process.
• Students who give notice of intent to reenroll will begin at the start of the next term/ quarter, unless the student chooses to delay their reenrollment to a later term or unusual circumstances require the University to admit the student at a later date.
• The student will be allowed to return to the same program under the catalog that the student was enrolled in prior to the military leave, unless such program is no longer offered by the University. If the program is no longer offered, the student will be allowed to return to the program that is most similar to the program in which they were enrolled at the time of their Military Leave.
• A student may request to enroll in a different program; however, credits earned by the student in their prior program may not transfer to the new program.
• For the first academic year after a student reenrolls in the same or similar program, the student will be charged the same tuition rate as their original program at the time the student was last enrolled or the new tuition rate, whichever is lower. However, the student may be charged the current tuition if veteran’s education benefits or other servicemember benefits will pay the total amount of tuition and fees.
• For subsequent academic years for a student admitted to the same program, or for the current academic year if the student is admitted to a different program, the University will assess tuition and fee charges consistent with the tuition and fees other students in the program are assessed for the current academic year.
• Rasmussen University reserves the right to request documentation from the student demonstrating that the student has not exceeded the time limits on Military Leave described in Section G and that the student’s eligibility for readmission has not been terminated as described in Section I.

I. Termination of Eligibility for Readmission

A student’s eligibility for readmission to the University under this policy terminates upon the occurrence of any of the following events:

• A separation of such person from the Armed Forces (including the National Guard and Reserves) with a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge.
• A dismissal of a commissioned officer permitted under section 1161(a) of title 10, United States Code by sentence of a general court-martial; in commutation of a sentence of a general court-martial; or, in time of war, by order of the President.
• A dropping of a commissioned officer from the rolls pursuant to section 1161(b) of title 10, United States Code, due to absence without authority for at least three months; separation by reason of a sentence to confinement adjudged by a court-martial; or a sentence to confinement in a Federal or State penitentiary or correctional institution.